(NEXSTAR) – You may be among the tens of millions of Americans who may qualify for IRS refunds or abatements linked to the COVID federal disaster period – but you only have about two months to take action. Last week, National Taxpayer Advocate Erin M. Collins, warned of the “major refund opportunity” spurred by recent court decisions. Collins serves with the Taxpayer Advocate Service, an independent organization within the IRS, In one case, Collins explained in a blog post, the court’s logic shows the IRS “should not have assessed penalties for late filing or payment” during the three-and-a-half-year-long COVID federal disaster declaration from January 2020 to May 2023. (Sixty additional days were added to the end date for tax purposes, pushing the period to July 10, 2023.) While an appeal from the Department of Justice is expected, Collins argues that taxpayers who fall in several groups may be owed a refund or abatement of penalties and interest the IRS assessed during the COVID federal disaster period.…